1973. Inflation has a significant impact on peoples lives, with the UK inflation rate running at 9.2% and the US running at 6.2% . This pushes-up prices which in turn leads to higher wage demands. There is a widespread fuel crisis as Arab members of OPEC restrict the flow of…
1972. The U.S. brings to an end its most divisive and unsuccessful military campaign as the last US ground troops withdraw from Vietnam. It’s a dark year for sport with the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by Arab gunman. This year also sees the beginning of the biggest political scandal…
1971. The U.K. changed it’s currency, a process known as Decimalisation, on February 15th . The I.R.A. bomb The Post Office Tower (now called the B.T, Tower) in London. Following public concern over immigration in the U.K, a new Immigration Bill ends Commonwealth citizens automatic entry to the country. The…
1970. The Beatles, the best selling music act of all time, release their last Album and Paul McCartney announces their break-up at the end of the year. Music continues to make a significant impact with the largest-ever rock festival taking place on the Isle of Wight, with 600,000 people attending,…
1969. On 20th July one of mans crowning achievements takes place when astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first human to set foot on the Moon, uttering the immortal words “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Opposition to the war in Vietnam increases with more and…
By GEOFFREY CHARLES, Motoring Correspondent A concerted, one-model assault is to be launched on the United States car market today by the British Motor Corporation, with what they hope will prove an effective reply to the successful penetration achieved by Volkswagen and the Japanese manufacturers. B.M.C. has produced a special…
By GEOFFREY CHARLES, Motoring Correspondent A high-level reshuffle of B.M.C. directors’ areas of responsibility was announced yesterday as part of a streamlining process before completion of the B.M.H.- Leyland merger. The moves centre on the decision by Alec Issigonis, B.M.C.’s technical director, to devote himself full-time to more creative and…
Sir George Harriman, chairman of British Leyland Motor Corporation, talks to GEOFFREY CHARLES, Motoring Correspondent, about the company’s plans Sir George Harriman pointed from the window of his Longbridge office. “That”, he said, “is the answer to our critics, at home and abroad. That’s what they should see-and it’s happening…
During the first nine months of 1967, British Motor Corporation produced 35½ per cent of all cars manufactured in Britain. This is shown by figures issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders yesterday. Out of a total production of 1,149,503 cars, BMC, excluding Jaguar, produced 407,840, Ford 324,978…
By MAURICE CORINA and PHILIP JACOBSON After months of tough behind-the-scenes negotiations-brought to a head in the past four days by Leyland Motor’s determination to bid, if necessary, for British Motor Holdings-the biggest merger in Britain’s industrial history has been concluded successfully. The formation of the British Leyland Motor Corporation, hurriedly announced yesterday…